Stallions trounce Scotts See A8 TOOELETRANSCRIPT S T C BULLETIN S TUESDAY September 29, 2020 www.TooeleOnline.com Vol. 127 No. 35 $1.00 SIngle-family building permits continue to grow Number of permits 30% over same time last year amid virus TIM GILLIE EDITOR Tooele County is following a statewide trend of booming home construction during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the first six months of 2020 there were 6,422 building permits issued for single-family residences in the state, an increase of 9.6% from last year, according to a report from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. In Tooele County and it’s cities, there were 317 building Not all areas in the County of building in Stansbury Park, permits issued through the end experienced an increase in Stansbury experienced a of July in 2019 for single-fami- building permits. In South Rim decline in building permits for ly residences. During the same the number of building per- the first seven months of 2020 seven month time period in mits issued by the end of July of 17%, sliding down from 87 2020, 413 permits were issued, dropped from 18 in 2019 to in 2019 to 72 in 2020. TIM GILLIE/TTB PHOTO for an increase of 96 permits four in 2020, a 78% decrease. Construction on new homes in Stansbury Park on Monday morning. Building permits issued for new homes in or 30%. While there still is plenty SEE PERMITS PAGE A7 ® Tooele County are up 30%. Tooele County unemployment drops to 4.8% MARK WATSON/TTB PHOTO GHS AND SHS 2020 HOMECOMINGS Grantsville High School football team (above) rides on a semitrailer during their parade on Friday. GHS lost their game to South Summit. See more photos on A10. Stansbury High School football team (below) rides on a trailer during their parade on Friday. SHS defeated Ben Lomond in their homecoming game. See more photos on A7. TIM GILLIE While the County’s August EDITOR unemployment rate is less Tooele County’s unemploy- than one-half of the April peak ment rate dropped to 4.8% in arte, unemployment in Tooele August, the fourth consecu- County in August 2019 was tive decrease since jumping 2.7%. to 10.5% in April 2020 as the The number of jobs in COVID-19 pandemic caused Tooele County dropped from a record one month climb in 16,945 in August 2019 to unemployment, according to 16,583 in August 2020, a the Department of Workforce 2.1% decrease. Statewide Services’ August unemploy- jobs for the same time period ment report. decreased by 1.6% With a workforce of 33,743, The largest decrease in jobs Tooele County had 32,123 for the Salt Lake Metropolitan employed residents in August Service Area, which includes 2020 and 1,620 unemployed Salt and Tooele Counties, was residents that were actively seeking work. SEE UNEMPLOYMENT PAGE A7 ® CLAYTON DUNN/TTB PHOTO COVID19 UPDATE State launches COVID-19 campaign aimed at 15-24 year olds by the Tooele County Health time. active case in charter or private There have been 453 deaths ‘If you want to stay at school, avoid the rona’ Department. On September 24, there schools in the county. in Utah since the beginning of CEILLY SUTTON Meanwhile, in Tooele It is unknown how many were 762 positive cases of the Throughout Utah, there the pandemic, according to the STAFF WRITER County there have been 786 individuals from the county virus, with 34 hospitalizations have been 71,442 positive report. The state of Utah is respond- positive cases of the virus are hospitalized because of the and no deaths. cases of the virus with 54,530 817,461 Utahns have been ing to the recent spike in throughout the course of virus. According to the report, recovered cases, and 3,757 tested for the virus. COVID-19 cases with a public the pandemic, with 35 hos- There have been no deaths there are two active cases of individuals hospitalized, with The state of Utah has awareness campaign for 15 to pitalizations, according to a of Tooele County residents COVID-19 in Tooele County 167 of those currently hospi- 24 year olds. report released on Monday attributed to COVID-19 at this School District schools and one talized. SEE CAMPAIGN PAGE A7 ® BULLETIN BOARD B4 CLASSIFIEDS B6 Weekend OBITUARIES A6 CORONAVIRUS TRACKER accidents OPEN FORUM A4 See A2 SPORTS A8 Data as of September 28, 2020. Source: Utah Department of Health TOOELE COUNTY- Known Cases: 887 UTAH- Known Cases: 71,442 Hospitalizations: 39 • Deaths: 0 Hospitalizations: 3,757 • Deaths: 453 A2 TOOELE TRANSCRIPT BULLETIN TUESDAY September 29, 2020 CAR SHOW FUNDRAISER CLAYTON DUNN/TTB PHOTO CLAYTON DUNN/TTB PHOTO A Lamborghini at the car show on Saturday morning at All Star Lanes. The car show was a fundraiser for Carol A line up of cars at the Exotic Car Show on Saturday in the All Star Lanes parking lot. Marian Gritzmacher, a single mother diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. CLAYTON DUNN/TTB PHOTO CLAYTON DUNN/TTB PHOTO Rick Hall’s drag racer on display at the Exotic Car show on Saturday. A large crowd turned out for the fundraiser/car show on Saturday. Masks were encouraged. County agrees to put Temple Subdivision referendum on a ballot tricts. On Aug. 13, 2020, signature-gathering effort, we reasons, the Church has clearly Local developer challenges signature decision As a result, referendum Broadhead sent a legal opinion have determined to withdraw stated that it doesn’t want sponsors were told they need- to the County Clerk that con- our rezoning request for the this fight and has not asked or TIM GILLIE filed a motion in 3rd District ed a total of 2,445 valid signa- cluded that the “land use law” residential portion of the tem- encouraged the County to con- EDITOR Court asking that the referen- tures, according to the County standard, which required 16% ple project.” tinue this fight on its behalf,” The Church of Jesus Christ dum not be placed on a ballot Attorney. or 4,119 signatures, was the The County Clerk said Broadhead. of Latter-day Saints has con- due to insufficient signatures. The County Attorney’s most likely correct interpreta- announced on Aug. 26 that However, on Sept. 25, firmed it has no intention Tooele County declared Office received inquiries tion of the law. the petition was “insufficient” Ironwood Estates, which has to challenge a decision that that the valid signatures from towards the first part of August A decision was made, because it only had enough been represented in local would place the referendum Council District #5 exceeded as to whether the signature that included the County valid signatures in three out of meetings by Joe White, filed to repeal the zone change for the required, after a recount of requirements for the referen- Commission, that the County five County Council Districts. a motion to intervene in the their Tooele Valley Temple referendum petition signatures dum should be based upon could not change the standard After the recount in proposed stipulated agreement Subdivision on a ballot, from the district. the “land use law” standard given to the sponsors with only response to a lawsuit filed by that would result in the ref- according to the Tooele County As a result, the County of 16% rather than the “local eight days remaining until the the petition sponsors, the deci- erendum appearing on a bal- Attorney. Attorney informed the Church law” standard of 9.5%. signatures were due, according sion was made to place the lot under the 9.5% signature But a local developer has the referendum petition has The Tooele County to Broadhead. referendum on a ballot. requirement. sufficient signatures to be Attorney’s Office researched At that time, Broadhead The Church and the petition Ironwood Estates asserts placed on an upcoming ballot. the issue. communicated the inter- sponsors were advised of the that the 16% signature Subscribe 435-882-0050 However, the required num- They consulted with a pretation of the law and the recount and the decision. The requirement should prevail. ber of signatures for the peti- handful of attorneys, includ- County’s decision to stay with Church was offered time to Their attorneys claim that the tion has been questioned by a ing counsel from the state the 9.5% signatures with the intervene and object, accord- use of the 9% could set prec- local developer. Legislature and the Church’s Church. ing to Broadhead. edent that could affect prop- When the referendum seek- attorney. “The Church chose not to The Church informed the erty in which Ironwood has an TOOELE TRANSCRIPT ing to overturn Ordinance The consensus opinion was file a protest or objection at County in two separate emails interest. BULLETIN 2020-16, was submitted on that the definitions in the that time,” said Broadhead. that it did not wish to inter- If the referendum appears June 9, 2020, the County statute for “local law” and On Aug. 18, the Church vene in the court case and did on a ballot, it won’t be until the ADMINISTRATION determined the ordinance to “land use law” are not clear. issued a statement that includ- not object to the County’s deci- next County wide election in Scott C. Dunn Publisher be a “local law,” which requires Therefore, differing opinions ed, “There is a sincere desire sion, according to Broadhead. 2022, unless somebody wants Clayton J. Dunn Associate Publisher that valid signatures from Joel J. Dunn Publisher Emeritus were offered as to the appro- on the part of the Church “Although many in the com- to pay $10,000 for a special 9.5% of the active voters in priate standard, according to to avoid discord in the com- munity want to continue the election, according to Tooele OFFICE the county, both in total and Tooele County Attorney Scott munity.